Christmashttp://www.adweek.com/taxonomy/term/3964/all
en'Hurry Down the Chimney' Gets a Whole New Meaning With Kmart's Pregnant Dance Squadhttp://www.adweek.com/adfreak/hurry-down-chimney-gets-whole-new-meaning-kmarts-pregnant-dance-squad-161701
Alfred Maskeroni<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/blogs/kmart-pregnant-hed-2014.png"> <p>
Last holiday season, Kmart clearly <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/kmart-hunks-play-jingle-bells-their-junk-crazy-christmas-ad-153929" target="_blank">had a ball (or two)</a> with its advertising. This year, it&#39;s all about bellies.</p>
<p>
In a nice upgrade from the retailer&#39;s spot featuring <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/kmart-and-joe-boxer-go-belly-laughs-holiday-sequel-jingle-balls-161483" target="_blank">guys playing their beer guts like kettle drums,</a> we now have a dance squad made up of belly-proud moms-to-be. It&#39;s the&nbsp;latest in agency FCB&#39;s #ShowYourJoe campaign for Joe Boxer, and this time we find five ladies rockin&#39; some comfy pajamas and shakin&#39; it for two to the tune of holiday classic &quot;Santa Baby.&quot;&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Directed by Wondros&rsquo; Christian Weber, it&#39;s a surprisingly perfect juxtaposition of female empowerment and one of Christmas&#39; sexier songs. The track is faster than <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFMyF9fDKzE" target="_blank">the famously slinky Eartha Kitt version,</a> which keeps the spot from going to truly weird places.</p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="367" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/N94ES_HI-K8" width="652"></iframe></p>
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<p>
CREDITS</p>
<p>
Client: Kmart<br />
Chief Marketing Officer, Kmart Apparel: Diane Vaccaro<br />
Vice President, Creative: Mark Andeer<br />
Marketing Director, Kmart Apparel: Sarah Fromson<br />
Advertising Managers: Laurie Bourquin, Amy Mitchell<br />
<br />
Agency: FCB<br />
Chief Creative Officer: Todd Tilford<br />
Executive Creative Director: Dan Fietsam<br />
Senior Vice President, Creative Director: Michael Shirley<br />
Creative Directors: Josh Hurley, Andy Kohman<br />
Art Directors: Johnross Post, Conor Clarke<br />
Copywriters: Matt Everts, Alf Zapata<br />
Executive Producer: Chris Bing<br />
Producer: Lara Hurnevich<br />
Director:&nbsp; Christian Weber<br />
Production Company: Wondros<br />
Editor: Steve Immer</p>
Advertising & BrandingChristmasFCBholiday 2014Joe BoxerKmartAlfred MaskeroniMon, 01 Dec 2014 18:39:06 +0000161701 at http://www.adweek.comWaitrose Skips the Whimsical but Still Warms Hearts in Its Christmas Adhttp://www.adweek.com/adfreak/waitrose-skips-whimsical-still-warms-hearts-its-christmas-ad-161288
David Griner<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/blogs/gingerbread-grocery-hed-2014.png"> <p>
Christmas storytelling is an annual rite of advertising one-upsmanship in Britain. But how can you weave a heart-warming tale while still keeping your product front and center?</p>
<p>
U.K. grocery chain Waitrose has found one solution by focusing on something that differentiates its staff. Employee-shared ownership in the company, which would normally be the driest of dry topics, takes a charming turn in the store&#39;s new holiday spot from BBH London. A real employee, Adejumoke Sanusi of Ilford, was even cast to play herself.</p>
<p>
The ad follows the story of an introverted young woman tackling a holiday baking challenge for school. Unlike the fantastical whimsy of advertisers like John Lewis, this ad is far more grounded in the reality of why you&#39;d actually need to turn (time and again) to a helpful grocery clerk.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
It likely won&#39;t leave you wiping tears from your eyes, but on the other hand, you&#39;ll probably at least remember what was being advertised.</p>
<p>
By the way, the soundtrack comes from an interesting source: Members of the public joined a <a href="http://www.waitrose.com/home/christmaswithwaitrose/donate-your-voice.html" target="_blank">&quot;Donate Your Voice&quot; effort</a> to create the track, a cover of Dolly Parton&#39;s &quot;Try.&quot; The song is available for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/try-single/id938096757" target="_blank">purchase on iTunes,</a> with proceeds going to three U.K. charities.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="367" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ypQh8uZ8pSo?rel=0" width="652"></iframe></p>
<!--break-->
<p>
<strong>CREDITS</strong><br />
Client: Waitrose<br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Marketing Director: Rupert Thomas</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Head of Marketing: Rupert Ellwood</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Manager, Advertising: Jo Massey</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Marketing Manager, Advertising:&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Libby Langridge</span></p>
<p>
Agency: BBH, London<br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Creative Team: Fred Rodwell, Andy Parsons</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Creative Directors: Ken Hoggins, Martha Riley</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Strategist: Melanie Arrow</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Strategy Director: Tom Roach</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Business Lead: Sian Cook</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Team Manager: Emma Johnston-Donne</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Team Director: Kayleigh Chapman</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Producer: Glenn Paton</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Assistant Producer: Sarah Cooper</span></p>
<p>
Production Company: Park Pictures<br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Director: Tom Tagholm</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Executive Producer: Stephen Brierley</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Producer: Fran Thompson</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Director of Photography: Rob Hardy</span></p>
<p>
Postproduction: MPC<br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Visual Effects Producer: Amy Richardson</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Visual Effects Supervisor: Jonathan Box</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Colorist: Jean-Cl&eacute;ment Soret</span></p>
<p>
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Editing House: Stitch</span><br />
Editor: Tim Hardy<br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Sound: Sam Ashwell at 750mph</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Music Supervisor: The Most Radicalist Black Sheep Music</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Music Producer: David Kosten</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Music Publisher: Carlin Music</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">Music Label: BMG Chrysalis</span></p>
Advertising & BrandingBbhBBH LondonChristmasEuropeGroceryDavid Grinerholiday marketingU.K.WaitroseFri, 07 Nov 2014 16:10:30 +0000161288 at http://www.adweek.comDon't Watch This Video From Star Wars' Christmas Special Unless You Musthttp://www.adweek.com/videowatch/dont-watch-video-star-wars-christmas-special-unless-you-must-154626
Mike Shields<p>
Chewbacca had a wife and kids. Han and Chewie are on their way to visit the Wookie planet for a big holiday. There&#39;s a reason George Lucas apparently doesn&#39;t like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Holiday_Special" target="_blank">Star Wars Holiday Special from 1978</a>. It really <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xn5gsj_the-star-wars-holiday-special_shortfilms" target="_blank">isn&#39;t good</a>. Pretty sure Harrison Ford leaves <a href="http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.com/" target="_blank">this one</a> off his resume.</p>
<p>
Enjoy and happy holidays!</p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="367" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wIBkRs3pPKI" width="625"></iframe></p>
TechnologyChewbaccaChristmasGeorge LucasHarrison FordStar WarsMike ShieldsFri, 20 Dec 2013 17:37:47 +0000154626 at http://www.adweek.comAdweek's Top 5 Commercials of the Week: Dec. 13-20http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/adweeks-top-5-commercials-week-dec-13-20-154615
Melissa Hoffmann<p>
In our last contest before Christmas, brands are appealing to the true spirit of the season. Whisky? No, a different kind of cocktail: a mix of love, charity and family.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Our picks this week also include a non-holiday-themed touching tale of parental love and a spot that tries to spark some home-hopping wanderlust.</p>
<p>
Which was the best? Vote below. And if your favorite isn&#39;t shown here, be sure to tell us in the comments.</p>
<p>
<strong>UPDATE</strong>: Congrats to Apple for this week&#39;s winning spot!</p>
<p>
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="1050px" scrolling="no" src="http://up.massrelevance.com/blakekobelan/video-poll/index.html?config=Adweek/top-ads-poll-dec20" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; " width="652"></iframe></p>
Advertising & BrandingAirbnbAppleBbdoChristmasChristmas 2013Melissa HoffmannForseman & BodenforsNetflixParentingPereira & O'dellSantoUnicefFri, 20 Dec 2013 13:38:08 +0000154615 at http://www.adweek.comAdweek's Top 5 Commercials of the Week: Dec. 6-13http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/adweeks-top-5-commercials-week-dec-6-13-154486
Melissa Hoffmann<p>
Santa may still be warming up his reindeer, but brands are already knee-deep in drifts of Christmas cheer.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Three of our picks this week are holiday spots. The other two are incredible as well&mdash;one features Ed Norton on a wild 90-second adventure, while the other, from Pantene, makes a strong statement about sexism.</p>
<p>
Which was the best spot? Vote below. And if your favorite isn&#39;t shown here, be sure to tell us in the comments.</p>
<p>
<strong>UPDATE</strong>: Verizon/Droid is this week&#39;s winner!</p>
<p>
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="1050px" scrolling="no" src="http://up.massrelevance.com/blakekobelan/video-poll/index.html?config=Adweek/top-ads-poll-dec13" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; " width="652"></iframe></p>
Advertising & BrandingAirlinesChristmasDroidHeinekenHolidaysMelissa HoffmannOreoPanteneSexismSmartphonesThe Martin AgencyVerizonWestJetFri, 13 Dec 2013 15:16:16 +0000154486 at http://www.adweek.comSanta's Brand Book Might Be One of the Agency World's Best Inside Jokeshttp://www.adweek.com/adfreak/santas-brand-book-might-be-one-agency-worlds-best-inside-jokes-154475
David Griner<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/blogs/santa-brandbook-hed-2013_0.jpg"> <p>
In an era of &quot;personal brands,&quot; there&#39;s one man who clearly needs his own style guide and appropriate-use policies: Santa Claus. Stepping in to fill the gap is British agency Quietroom, which has created <a href="http://www.quietroom.co.uk/santa_brandbook/" target="_blank">a Santa Brand Book that would make any festive account planner swoon</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Er, sorry, that should be the *Santa* Brand Book. The first asterisk &quot;reminds customers of a snowflake alighting on the eyelash of a fawn,&quot; while the closing asterisk &quot;points customers to the polar star, and hence the birth of dreams.&quot;</p>
<p>
Delightfully overthought and packed with subtle humor keyed to those who&#39;ve had to delve through such dreck for real consumer brands, the *Santa* Brand Book educates you on how to &quot;live the brand&quot; (Snap it, clap it, wrap it), which pantone of white to use, and why we do not refer to him as Father Christmas (because it anagrams to &quot;The Rich Mr. Fat-Ass&quot;).</p>
<p>
Hat tip to <a href="https://twitter.com/cloudspark/status/410577335889309696" target="_blank">@Cloudspark</a>.</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="/files/adfreak/AdFreak new/santa-chart-2013.jpg" style="width: 652px; height: 367px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="/files/adfreak/AdFreak new/santa-logo-2013.jpg" style="width: 652px;" /></p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="/files/adfreak/AdFreak new/santa-letter-2013.jpg" style="width: 652px; height: 309px;" /></p>
Advertising & BrandingbrandingChristmasEuropeSanta ClausThu, 12 Dec 2013 20:31:47 +0000154475 at http://www.adweek.comHome Depot Teams With Uber to Deliver Christmas Treeshttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/home-depot-teams-uber-deliver-christmas-trees-154289
Christopher Heine<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/ubertree-iphone9-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
Home Depot <a href="http://blog.uber.com/UberTREE" target="_blank">has partnered</a> with <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/uber-orders-ice-cream-trucks-33-cities-151260" target="_blank">Uber</a> to deliver Christmas trees tomorrow in the following 10 markets: New York; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Boston; Atlanta; Dallas; Chicago; San Diego; Los Angeles; and San Francisco.</p>
<p>
For $135, consumers can get a seven-to-eight-foot netted tree and a stand from <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/home-depot-shifts-media-carat-125451" target="_blank">the home improvement retailer</a>, and the purchase will be charged to the Uber user&#39;s account. (Folks who order the trees will get an Uber-branded scarf as well.) The mobile app, which connects people with cars for hire, lets people pay for their rides with credit cards and <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20131118/uber-starts-accepting-paypal/" target="_blank">PayPal</a>.</p>
<p>
Home Depot and Uber are geo-targeting Facebook, Twitter and radio ads to promote the initiative, while utilizing their social media presence as well.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
Tomorrow, <a href="https://twitter.com/Uber">@Uber</a> will deliver a <a href="https://twitter.com/HomeDepot">@homedepot</a> Christmas tree to your door. For $135.</p>
&mdash; The Home Depot (@HomeDepot) <a href="https://twitter.com/HomeDepot/statuses/408249545428967424">December 4, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
And San Francisco-based Uber has a couple other yuletide endeavors in the offing.</p>
<p>
In Seattle this week, the company is running a &quot;Santa on Demand&quot; effort that will deliver red-cladded St. Nicks to gatherings around the Emerald City.</p>
<p>
And later this month, the 10 Uber-enabled markets will be teaming up with drivers in their communities for an &quot;UberSleigh&quot; campaign to collect toys for children in need. The cities include: New York; Philadelphia; Toronto; Indianapolis; Detroit; Chicago; Minneapolis; Denver; San Diego; and Bogota, Columbia.</p>
TechnologyChristmasFacebookHolidays marketingHome Depotmobile appsChristopher Heineradio advertisingradio spotssocial media marketingTwitterUberWed, 04 Dec 2013 16:35:41 +0000154289 at http://www.adweek.comAdweek's Top 5 Commercials of the Week: Nov. 1-8http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/adweeks-top-5-commercials-week-nov-1-8-153683
Melissa Hoffmann<p>
It&#39;s been a particularly strong week for commercials. But which one was the best?</p>
<p>
Below, we&#39;ve got five great contenders. Was it the latest Call of Duty spot starring Megan Fox and set to a Frank Sinatra soundtrack? Or maybe it was Skype&#39;s emotional pen-pal story, Lego&#39;s touching father-son tribute, Yorkshire tea&#39;s whimsical ditty or Marks &amp; Spencer&#39;s lavish, star-studded Christmas ad.</p>
<p>
Watch them all below, and vote for your favorite. We&#39;ll name a winner later this afternoon. And if your favorite&#39;s not listed here, let us know in the comments.</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:10; color:#ff0000"><strong>UPDATE</strong>: Congratulations to Skype and Pereira &amp; O&#39;Dell for winning this week&#39;s contest for best commercial with 37 percent of the vote.</span></p>
<p>
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="1050px" scrolling="no" src="http://up.massrelevance.com/blakekobelan/video-poll/index.html?config=Adweek/top-ads-poll-nov8" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; " width="652"></iframe></p>
Advertising & Branding72andsunnyCall of Duty: GhostsChristmasCreativeFood & BeverageMelissa HoffmannHolidays marketingholidays retailLegoMarks & SpencerPereira & O’DellRKCR/Y&RSkypeToysWe Are PiYorkshire TeaFri, 08 Nov 2013 12:18:58 +0000153683 at http://www.adweek.comHallmark Apologizes and Stops Selling Ornament That Replaced 'Gay' With 'Fun'http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/hallmark-apologizes-and-stops-selling-ornament-replaced-gay-fun-153552
David Gianatasio<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/blogs/hallmark-fun-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
Opinionated Internet users left, right and center are heating up like chestnuts roasting on an open fire over Hallmark&rsquo;s decision to replace the word &ldquo;gay&rdquo; with &ldquo;fun&rdquo; in the Christmas carol &quot;Deck the Halls.&quot;</p>
<p>
A new Hallmark holiday ornament shaped like a sweater features the phrase &quot;Don we now our FUN apparel&quot; instead of the traditional &quot;gay apparel.&quot;</p>
<p>
Social conservatives and liberals alike took issue with the move and accused Hallmark of everything from rampant political correctness to homophobia to plain stupidity.</p>
<p>
Here&#39;s a pretty representative sample of the comments Hallmark&#39;s received:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hallmark Cards Removes Word &#39;Gay&#39; from Christmas Carol...PC Bullshit! You Suck <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23hallmark&amp;src=hash">#hallmark</a>... <a href="http://t.co/qUk7cpTWnX">http://t.co/qUk7cpTWnX</a> &mdash; Exploring 4NRG (@AB_CutRock) <a href="https://twitter.com/AB_CutRock/statuses/396180000828702720">November 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/Hallmark">@Hallmark</a> The more I think bout it, the more I realize this was an anti <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23gay&amp;src=hash">#gay</a> decision. Our GAY family will rtn any <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23hallmark&amp;src=hash">#hallmark</a> cards received. &mdash; Richie 竹 (@RichieNJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichieNJ/statuses/396044301014036480">October 31, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/Hallmark">@Hallmark</a> Your choice of lyrics on your ugly sweater ornaments stink! Will never buy a thing from Hallmark again.. So wrong!
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
&mdash; BobRadmore #CherCrew (@bobradmore) <a href="https://twitter.com/bobradmore/statuses/396104851358101504">November 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
You can&rsquo;t buy that kind of publicity. (But you sure wind up paying for it.)</p>
<p>
The company initially offered this defense: &quot;When the lyrics to &#39;Deck the Halls&#39; were translated from Gaelic and published in English back in the 1800s, the word &#39;gay&#39; meant festive or merry. Today it has multiple meanings, which we thought could leave our intent open to misinterpretation. &hellip; So the planning team decided to say what we meant: &#39;fun.&#39; That&#39;s the spirit we intended and the spirit in which we hope ornament buyers will take it.&quot;</p>
<p>
That response didn&rsquo;t help matters, and it actually drew fresh cries of outrage along the lines this user comment on Hallmark&rsquo;s Facebook page: &quot;Stop Lying Hallmark! The only people thinking of the word gay as negative is Hallmark.&quot;</p>
<p>
Yesterday, as the issue continued to build steam, Hallmark issued this apology: &quot;We&#39;ve been surprised at the wide range of reactions expressed about the change of lyrics on this ornament, and we&#39;re sorry to have caused so much concern. We never intend to offend or make political statements with our products and in hindsight, we realize we shouldn&#39;t have changed the lyrics on the ornament.&quot;</p>
<p>
Predictably, the item is no longer available at Hallmark&#39;s site. Via <a href="http://consumerist.com/2013/10/31/internet-displeased-with-hallmark-for-switching-carols-lyrics-from-gay-to-fun-on-ornament/" target="_blank">Consumerist</a>.</p>
<p>
<strong>UPDATE</strong>: On Friday, Hallmark&#39;s site indicated that the item was no longer available. Now, such language is gone. A company rep said she had no information about that, but told AdFreak: &quot;The Holiday Sweater ornament remains available for sale in Hallmark Gold Crown stores. It is shown online at Hallmark.com with a link to the store locator. We give the stores time to have our ornaments exclusively before they are available for sale online.&quot;</p>
Advertising & BrandingChristmasGayHallmarkHolidaysholidays 2013Fri, 01 Nov 2013 13:09:29 +0000153552 at http://www.adweek.comMobile Apps Compete for Holiday Downloadshttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/mobile-apps-compete-holiday-downloads-145941
Tim Peterson<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/facebook-gift-ideas-hed-2012.jpg"> <p>
Christmas morning is a gift to app developers. Once folks unwrap their new tablets or smartphones, among the first things they do is load them up with apps.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;My understanding is that December is the largest month in the [Apple] App Store for traffic,&rdquo; said Daniel Raffel, founder and CEO of how-to app Snapguide, which released its iPhone version in the spring. Given that attention, there&rsquo;s plenty of jockeying for attention in the App Store or Google Play during the holidays. Heightening the frenzy is the fact that Apple closes its App Store to new apps or updates on December 21 and doesn&rsquo;t open again until after the holidays. Little wonder that many developers release new apps or significantly update their existing efforts before the holidays in order to refresh their profiles.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;The holidays are a big time for us to market given that there are a lot of new devices gifted over Christmas in addition to iTunes gift cards that people need to use,&rdquo; said Sho Masuda, vp of marketing at mobile social gaming network GREE International. Mobile gaming ad network Chartboost runs an ad marketplace spanning more than 8,000 mobile games and saw a 50 percent increase in overall game boot-ups in the U.S. alone on Thanksgiving Day. The company expects an even larger increase over Christmas and Hanukkah. And with increased demand, comes increased ad prices. The cost to acquire a new user shot up 6.1 percent from November to December, according to Chartboost.</p>
<p>
However it&rsquo;s not about acquiring just any user. On Thursday GREE launched a new iOS game, Knights &amp; Dragons: Rise of the Dark Prince, and Masuda said the game&rsquo;s advertising objective prioritizes the lifetime value per install versus the initial cost per install. &ldquo;Basically, we strive to invest in networks that will bring potential spenders or users who will refer high-engagement users to our titles,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
An overlooked network&mdash;with all the attention on the app stores and in-app banners&mdash;that GREE invests in to promote its apps is search. Last year Google saw a more than 70 percent year-over-year increase in searches for &ldquo;best tablet apps&rdquo; and a 37 percent jump for &ldquo;free phone apps,&rdquo; said Brendon Kraham, Google&rsquo;s director of global mobile sales and strategy. Google runs two ad products to get app developers present for those queries. App extension appears as a normal paid search result but includes a image and link to the Apple App Store or Google Play. Click-to-download ads drive traffic straight to Google Play.</p>
<p>
While it&rsquo;s not surprising to see online advertising kingpins search and display attract developers&rsquo; promotional attentions in addition to app store discovery, social is emerging as a fourth tentpole that blends all three of the others. Similar to how Facebook became a leading traffic driver for online publishers, the social network is becoming a new way to surface and draw attention to mobile apps. The Apple App Store and Google Play each spotlight apps and host directory-like search services, but &ldquo;Facebook is playing in the same space as web, bringing interesting apps directly to your feed from your friends,&rdquo; said Doug Purdy, director of developer products at Facebook.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;Last month we drove 183 million clicks from the News Feed to the Apple App Store and Google Play,&rdquo; said Purdy. Bolstering Facebook&rsquo;s role is its deepening ties with app developers. Of the top 400 grossing iOS apps, 50 percent integrate with Facebook, including eight of the top 10, Purdy said. &ldquo;Our goal is to be the number one source of traffic to [the Apple App Store] and Google Play,&rdquo; Purdy said.</p>
<p>
But Facebook can really solidify its stature in the mobile app discovery market through its App Center and mobile app install ads. While Raffel said App Center hasn&rsquo;t performed as highly as expected in driving conversions for Snapguide and he has yet to try out the mobile app install ads, &ldquo;my expectations are fairly high,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
Social ad firm Nanigans had tested the ad product early on and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebook-expands-mobile-app-ads-offering-144529" target="_blank">said in October</a> that the mobile app install ads drove 13 to 17 times higher CTRs than Facebook desktop ads and garnered eight to 10 times the reach of mobile ad buys on other channels. And a recent update should drive even higher conversions. Mobile app install ads can now bring the app install window directly inside the Facebook app, said Purdy.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;You can literally install the app inside of Facebook itself,&rdquo; he said. That is to say, the News Feed is becoming the new app store.</p>
TechnologyChartboostChristmasFacebookGoogleGREETim PetersonMobileMobileMobile advertisingMobile appMobile gamesNanigansSmartphonesSnapguideTabletsFri, 14 Dec 2012 00:52:46 +0000145941 at http://www.adweek.comTop 10 Commercials of the Week: Nov. 16-23http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/top-10-commercials-week-nov-16-23-145349
Melissa Hoffmann<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/target.jpg"> <p>
This week, Adweek takes a look at the 2012 holiday spots unwrapped by some major brands. From Macy&#39;s new take on the beloved classic <em>A Miracle on 34th Street</em> to eBay&#39;s perfectly pitched point about the hazards of gifting ponies, retailers and other marketers are starting to bring the magic of the season to the small screen.&nbsp;</p>
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Many of the hundreds of TV commercials that air each day are just blips on the radar, having little impact on the psyche of the American consumer, who is constantly bombarded by advertising messages.</p>
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These aren&#39;t those commercials.</p>
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Adweek and AdFreak have brought together the most innovative and well-executed spots of the week, commercials that will make you laugh, smile, cry, think&mdash;and maybe buy.</p>
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<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news-gallery/advertising-branding/top-10-commercials-week-nov-16-23-145337"><strong>Video Gallery: Top 10 Commercials, Nov. 16-23</strong></a></p>
Advertising & BrandingAdam&EveDDBAgencyBest BuyCarlos SantanaCelebrity EndorsementsMelissa HoffmannCoca-ColaCreativeDonald TrumpEbayElectronicsFood & BeverageGapHolidaysHome ImprovementJohn LewisJustin BieberLowe'sMacy'sMarcus SamuelssonMartha StewartMichael J. FoxMorrisonsRetailTargetTaylor SwiftTommy HilfigerVenables Bell & PartnersVictoria's SecretFri, 23 Nov 2012 13:20:14 +0000145349 at http://www.adweek.comPrice Check on iPhone 5http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/price-check-iphone-5-145262
Christopher Heine<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/tt-macys-black-friday-hed-2012.jpg"> <p>
In-store shoppers are using their smartphones like never before. So it may come as little surprise that big-box retailers are rolling out a plethora of mobile bells and whistles just in time for Black Friday.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;Mobile is bringing everything that is digital and everything that is e-commerce into the stores,&rdquo; said Artemis Berry, senior content director for the National Retail Federation&rsquo;s digital division, <a href="http://www.shop.org/home" target="_blank">Shop.org</a>. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s taking shopping to the next level.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Indeed, Macy&rsquo;s shoppers will be able to find Black Friday specials via the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macys/id341036067?mt=8" target="_blank">retailer&rsquo;s revamped smartphone app</a>, which now includes maps for each of its 800 locations. At Macy&rsquo;s flagship, the 1 million-square-foot midtown Manhattan location, shoppers can access turn-by-turn directions in a pilot program by tech firm Meridian. What&rsquo;s more, in all of the retailer&rsquo;s stores, app users will receive exclusive specials every five minutes through a push-notification feature. &ldquo;The holidays will give us a good read on how well it works to tease unadvertised items on the app,&rdquo; said Jennifer Kasper, group vp of digital/new media and multicultural marketing, Macy&rsquo;s.</p>
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As a real bonus, Macy&rsquo;s app will allow parents to reserve their children&rsquo;s visit with Santa Claus and skirt the long lines.</p>
<p>
Meanwhile, Walmart will offer shoppers in-store directions to Black Friday offers in its 4,000 locations, a company first. The retailer has also begun to geo-fence its stores, so when app users are on Walmart premises, they see an option to momentarily replace the out-of-store app with an in-store version. Early test results show that 60 percent of users are choosing the in-store app, and 12 percent of sales on the app are occurring in-store.</p>
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&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s say you are in a store that is out of a shirt that you want,&rdquo; said Gibu Thomas, svp, mobile and digial, Walmart. &ldquo;You can flip the app back over, and it will show you if it&rsquo;s in inventory online. Now it&rsquo;s available at the tap of the finger.&rdquo;<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
TechnologyInteractiveMarketingAppleAppsBlack FridayChristopher Heinee-commerceiPhone 5Macy'sMagazine ContentMobileWalmartRetailTue, 20 Nov 2012 05:02:39 +0000145262 at http://www.adweek.comThe Incredible Shrinking Christmashttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/incredible-shrinking-christmas-145259
Sam Thielman<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/tt-giantmoney-hed-2012.jpg"> <p>
As anyone who&rsquo;s ever cracked open an Econ 101 textbook will tell you, there&rsquo;s something a little goofy happening at the moment in the kids television market. Despite flattened demand and a drag on volume largely driven by a massive ratings shortfall at Nickelodeon, pricing on kids-targeted inventory hasn&rsquo;t budged.</p>
<p>
A year ago at this time, <a href="/node/140029">Nickelodeon was in free fall</a>, plummeting 18 percent in total viewers while losing nearly a quarter of its target demo (kids 6-11). And despite some particularly soft comps, the network&rsquo;s current total-day ratings remain in the doldrums. Given that Nick generally produces three-quarters of the kids GRPs, it would seem that marketers should be scrambling to latch onto any leftovers. They&rsquo;re not.</p>
<p>
While it may be hyperbolic to suggest that Nick is dragging the entire kids market down with it, some analysts are growing impatient with the network&rsquo;s leadership. &ldquo;At Nickelodeon, changes have not been made at the very top, and any hopes that [former Disney wunderkind] Rich Ross may come to the rescue were dashed when he signed on with News Corp.,&rdquo; said Todd Juenger, senior analyst, Bernstein Research. (For his part, Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman insists that &ldquo;efforts to reinvigorate Nickelodeon&hellip;are yielding results.&rdquo;)</p>
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Ratings for Cartoon Network, Disney XD and <a href="/node/141563">The Hub</a> are all up to some degree, but despite growth at these microtargeted outlets, demand for preholiday buys remains stagnant.</p>
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&ldquo;What is happening on the adult side of the market is also happening on the kids side,&rdquo; said Starcom associate media director Darcy Bowe. &ldquo;The networks sell so much of the Hard Eight (the eight weeks before Christmas) in the upfront, and this year&hellip;scatter premiums have been in the single digits. I can&rsquo;t remember the last time that&rsquo;s happened.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
A key contributor to the slump is a slackening toy market. Industry leader <a href="/node/144457">Hasbro</a> was flat during the third quarter, with weak sales in toys targeted to boys. Video games are also on a downward trajectory. Per the NPD Group, U.S. retail sales of new hardware, software and accessories fell 25 percent in October, marking the 11th straight month of declines.</p>
<p>
Bowe also pointed out that no big-ticket kids movies will open between Thanksgiving and Christmas. &ldquo;There are certainly consumer products supporting toy lines,&rdquo; Bowe said. &ldquo;<em>The Avengers</em> will sell, <em>Batman</em> will sell and I&rsquo;m sure there&rsquo;ll be some product for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btB8tb8fLYM" target="_blank"><em>Wreck-It Ralph</em></a>. But there&rsquo;s not a <em>Cars</em>. There&rsquo;s not a tent-pole franchise driving multiple toy lines.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
In the midst of all this, Cartoon Network continues to try and work its way from out of the shadows cast by Nick and non-ad supported Disney Channel. And while Joe Hogan, evp of young adult ad sales for Turner Broadcasting, admits that there&rsquo;s still some inventory to be sold, Cartoon&rsquo;s holiday sales period is not only more bustling, but the window for activity is expanding into early autumn.</p>
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&ldquo;September through December has become quite an active period for us,&rdquo; said Hogan. &ldquo;It was a Hard Eight, and for some, a Hard 10&hellip;and now it all starts in September.&rdquo;</p>
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&nbsp;</p>
TelevisionbatmanCableCarsCartoon NetworkChristmasSam ThielmanDisney XDMagazine ContentRich RossThanksgivingThe AvengersThe HubTurner BroadcastingMon, 19 Nov 2012 05:00:02 +0000145259 at http://www.adweek.comRetailers Pin Hopes on Christmashttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/retailers-pin-hopes-christmas-144458
Christopher Heine<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/tt-kate-spade-hed-2012.jpg"> <p>
With retailers ringing up unusually high sales using <a href="http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>&mdash;arguably the year&rsquo;s biggest digital-platform sensation&mdash;marketers are getting ready to pin holiday gift ideas and seasonal content like glittering ornaments to a virtual Pinterest Christmas tree.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;We will post a sharable, interactive gift guide and offer how-to videos and tutorials for looks to help [customers be] party ready,&rdquo; said Bridget Dolan, Sephora&rsquo;s vp, digital media. &ldquo;Pinterest has great potential for the holidays.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Sephora counts 64,000 followers on Pinterest, a sizable audience for any brand on the young platform&mdash;but still not much in terms of social media scale. In contrast, Sephora has <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Sephora?fref=ts" target="_blank">2 million Facebook </a>fans and<a href="https://twitter.com/Sephora" target="_blank"> 712,000 Twitter followers.</a></p>
<p>
But it doesn&rsquo;t seem to matter how many Pinterest followers brands have; retailers simply hope the buying propensity they&rsquo;ve seen in recent months continues.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;Our Pinterest referrals spend 70 percent more than nonsocial channels, including search,&rdquo; said Jane Carpenter, media rep for home furnishings e-retailer Wayfair, which has 1,800 Pinterest followers. &ldquo;They are 10 percent more likely to purchase when compared to other social channels. And we are on everything&mdash;Twitter, YouTube, Facebook.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Two-and-a-half-year-old Pinterest, per comScore, hit 25 million unique users in September, compared to just 2 million a year ago. Pinterest &ldquo;is the fastest stand-alone site in U.S. history to reach that [users] level,&rdquo; said comScore rep Andrew Lipsman.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been established that more than any other social channel, Pinterest is where folks go to buy stuff,&rdquo; added Chad White, research director at online marketing firm <a href="http://www.responsys.com/" target="_blank">Responsys</a>. &ldquo;People don&rsquo;t go to Twitter to buy products. And it&rsquo;s well-established that they don&rsquo;t go to Facebook to buy things.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Meanwhile, in addition to Sephora&rsquo;s multimedia pinning plans, merchants have channel-exclusive contests and wish-list tactics in store for the picture-friendly website. Kate Spade New York has 88,000 Pinterest followers and is amped to add the site to its holiday social media mix of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram, said Kristina DiMatteo Fields, digital marketing director for the firm. &ldquo;We will pin content daily,&rdquo; she said.</p>
<p>
Though not just female-skewed brands are looking to Pinterest for yuletide revenues. MLB Shop, the online store for Major League Baseball (11,000 Pinterest followers), is bolstering resources for the social site. &ldquo;We are going to put bodies on it to make sure our products and promotions are always there,&rdquo; said Noah Garden, evp of revenue for Major League Baseball Advanced Media, the digital arm of the pro sports league. &ldquo;What we are seeing right now are good conversion rates.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
And even the Boston Celtics (4,000 followers) believe Pinterest is a slam-dunk for attracting female holiday shoppers. &ldquo;Our other digital platforms are roughly 75 percent male, so it lets us target a new fan base,&rdquo; said Shawn Sullivan, CMO for the NBA franchise. &ldquo;On average, a Celtics item is repinned 17 times. [That viral] allows us to extend the reach of merchandise to fans who otherwise would not have come to our Pinterest page or online store.&rdquo;<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
TechnologyBoston CelticsChristmasFacebookHolidaysInteractiveChristopher HeineMlbNbaPinterestSephoraTwitterTue, 16 Oct 2012 11:11:52 +0000144458 at http://www.adweek.comCampaign Trails: Best and Worst Christmas Adshttp://www.adweek.com/video/advertising-branding/campaign-trails-best-and-worst-christmas-ads-137201
<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/1126101268_1331775213001_ari-origin06-arc-175-1324059823968_1.jpgpubid1126101268"> Campaign Trails: Best and Worst Christmas AdsAdvertising & BrandingAdweek OrginalCampaign TrailsChristmas137201 at http://www.adweek.com